Marilyn Jane Ballantine, born September 29, 1925 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, died suddenly Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at Norwalk Hospital. She was a resident of South Salem, New York for over 44 years, and was the daughter of the late Emil M. Alm and Freda Johnson Alm. Marilyn was the wife of the late George Allan Ballantine. She received a Bachelor of Music Education from M acPhail College of Music in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1947 and a Master of Sacred Music from Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1967. She trained professionally with Rupert Sircom, Carl Weinrich, Robert S. Baker, Alec Wyton, Louise L. Jenkins, Rosalie Snyder, Earl Berg, Byron Hardin and Seymour Lipkin. Marilyn was the Minister of Music at the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan for 40 years from 1958 to 1998. Joining the church a year after its inception in 1957, she grew the choir from a handful of singers in the beginning to over 70 members. Under Marilyn’s leadership, the music program grew as an important aspect of the weekly worship experience and instituted the well-known annual choir concerts. She was instrumental in the acquisition of the English Handbells, learning how to play them and teaching others the joy of ringing these special bells. Along with her husband, Marilyn organized and led four European tours for the choir, the first in 1983 to Scotland and England, in 1986 to England, Wales and Scotland, in 1989 to the Netherlands and Germany and a final tour in 1992 to Switzerland and Austria. Since her retirement in 1998, she has been a substitute organist for many of the surrounding churches in Fairfield and Westchester Counties and Treasurer of the American Guild of Organists Fairfield West Chapter. Marilyn is survived by her loving daughter Jane Cascioli and her two grandchildren Matthew and Sam of South Salem, New York, as well as many nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held on April 28, 2012 at 11:00AM at the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Marilyn Ballantine Music Endowment Fund, c/o The First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, 178 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, Connecticut 06840.